#1 SCSU Wrestling team to open NSIC season on Nov. 29

The #1 ranked St. Cloud State University wrestling team (1-0, 0-0 NSIC) will open its 2018-19 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference season on Thursday, Nov. 29 with a 7 p.m. match at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minn.

The seven-time defending NSIC champions, St. Cloud State won the league title in 2017-18 with a perfect 8-0 record and the Huskies have won conference titles in 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013 and 2012. The Huskies have won 60 consecutive NSIC dual matches since their last league setback on Jan. 27, 2011 at Augustana by a score of 18-13.

Fans can follow the action from Marshall at the following locations:

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The Huskies will wrap up their busy week on Sunday, Dec. 2 with a trip to the Newberry Duals in Newberry, S.C. The Huskies will face four tough NCAA DII opponents on the mats at the Newberry Duals. The day will open at 8 a.m. when the Huskies face Queens College. In the second round, SCSU will battle Limestone College at 9:30 a.m. and then face host Newberry College at 11 a.m. The tournament will wrap up with a 12:30 p.m. date against Western Colorado State. In the most recent NCAA DII rankings, Western Colorado was ranked ninth and Newberry was ranked 10th. Limestone received votes in the poll, while the Huskies were ranked #1 in the team standings.

Newberry College is led by head coach Cy Wainwright, who served as a graduate assistant coach for the Huskies under head coach Steve Costanzo.

SCSU Wrestling Military Appreciation Day - Dec. 5

The St. Cloud State University wrestling program will host a Military Appreciation Night at the Huskies' dual match on Dec. 5 against Minot State. The match will begin at 7 p.m. in Halenbeck Hall. All active members of the military and veterans with I.D. will be admitted FREE to the match on Dec. 5 vs. Minot State. For more information on this event, please call the SCSU Athletic Ticket Office at 320-308-2137 or 877-SCSUTIX.

SCSU Wrestling Parents' Day - Dec. 8

The upcoming 2018 SCSU Holiday Inn/Huskies Open will take place on Saturday, Dec. 8 in the Halenbeck Hall Fieldhouse. This event features many of the region's top collegiate wrestlers and the action on the mats is slated to begin at 9 a.m. The event has also been designated as SCSU Wrestling Parents' Day with all parents of SCSU wrestlers being admitted free to the Huskies Open that day. A special post event social for the SCSU wrestlers' parents will also take place that day. For more information on the Parents' Day events, please call the SCSU Wrestling Office at 320-308-2996.

SCSU Wrestling News and Notes:

The Huskies scored a 39-4 win over Southwest Minnesota State last season in Halenbeck Hall. SCSU has won 12 consecutive matches against the Mustangs and have not lost to SMSU since a 24-18 loss in 2005-06. The Mustangs are led by head coach Jesse Nelson, who is in his 12th season. Nelson is a 1999 St. Cloud State graduate and wrestled for the Huskies in college.
Vince Dietz owns a perfect 8-0 record at 197-pounds this season, which includes four falls. He is currently ranked #1 in the nation at 197-pounds and owns a 90-16 career record during his tenure in the Granite City. He prepped at Lockport Township High School in the Chicago suburbs.
Dietz is one of 14 wrestlers at SCSU this season who are from the state of Illinois.
Redshirt freshman Riley Vanik is 9-3 this season for the Huskies at 184-pounds.
Devin Donovan (165) and Dietz (197) both won weight bracket titles at the recent Finn Grinaker Cobber Open on Nov. 17.
The Huskies opened their 2018-19 dual meet season on Nov. 15 with a 36-9 win over non-conference rival Chadron State University.
Steve Costanzo is in his 13th season has head coach at SCSU. He owns a 189-28 career record with the Huskies, which includes seven NSIC championships and three NCAA Division II championships.
The Huskies have won the NCAA Division II national championship in 2015, 2016 and 2018.
Here is a rundown of the SCSU wrestlers ranked in the current NCAA DII polls: Brett Velasquez (2nd at 125), Adam Hedin (7th at 141), James Pleski (1st at 149), Devin FitzPatrick (10th at 165), Kolton Eischens (3rd at 174), Chance Helmick (10th at 184), Vince Dietz (1st at 197) and Lawrence Phillips (5th at 285).

Probables for SCSU on Nov. 29:
Name                          Wt.                  Yr.      Record            Hometown/High School
Brandon Briggs           125                  RJr      5-2                   Capron, IL/North Boone
Garrett Vos                 133                  RFr      4-0                   Bonifacius, MN/Waconia
Travis Swanson          141                  RSr      5-2                   Cambridge, MN/Cambridge-Isanti
James Pleski 149                  RJr      4-1                   Forest Lake, MN/Forest Lake
Taner Trembley           157                  RSr      0-0                   Lake Crystal, MN/Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial
Devin FitzPatrick        165                  RSo     6-0                   Mahtomedi, MN/Mahtomedi
Kolton Eischens          174                  Jr         4-0                   Pierz, MN/Pierz
Riley Vanik                 184                  RFr      9-3                   Sugar Grove, IL/Kaneland
Vince Dietz                 197                  RSr      8-0                   Homer Glen, IL/Lockport Township
Zach Muller                285                  RFr      5-1                   Woodridge, IL/Westmont

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Players Mentioned

Brandon Briggs

Vince Dietz

Devin Donovan

Kolton Eischens

Devin FitzPatrick

Adam Hedin

Chance Helmick

Zach Muller

Lawrence Phillips

James Pleski

Travis Swanson

Taner Trembley

Riley Vanik

Brett Velasquez

Garrett Vos

Saint Cloud State University Athletics